Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum, Inc. In Minden, Louisiana

The mission statement of the
Dorcheat Historical Association & Museum, Inc. in Minden, Louisiana..is to establish and promote a strong sense of community pride by preserving our past for our future generations. We will make our patrons aware of Webster Parish’s historical assets and significance by promoting, teaching, involving, and displaying history in many unique ways. This will be not only for our community but for others outside of our area.

Follow Our Museum Website by Email

Join Our Mailing List Today! Add Your Email Address Below.

Come Often It's Free And It's Always Changing

The museum offers free admission during regular business hours. Click on Arrow on Picture to watch our T.V. Commercial.

116 Pearl Street Then

1920's Photo of Pearl Street

116 Pearl Street Today

Our Museum!

Welcome To The Minden, Louisiana's Dorcheat Museum Blog

Thank you for visiting the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum Blog. The Dorcheat Historical Museum is the only museum inside the city limits of Minden, Louisiana. The museum opened June 10th, 2008. Admission Free with donations welcomed. Our hours are, Tuesday - Friday from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., closed for lunch from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., open again from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday we are closed but open by appointment for special showings and meetings. We would like to invite you to visit our location at 116 Pearl Street in Minden, Louisiana. We look forward to sharing our history with you. For more information please contact museum director Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or 318-423-0192.

We Are On Facebook

Click on the FB logo to join us. Find out what is happening at the museum every day!

Visit Webster Parish

click on the above link to discover Webster Parish!

The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc.

This Minden, Louisiana Webster Parish Muesum is Funded in part by a grant from the Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Commission.http://www.visitwebster.com/1-888-972-7474

Search This Blog

Help Us Keep History Alive In Webster Parish

In return for your support, you will receive not only a tax deduction, but also, invitations to all museum activities. Please give every consideration to helping with this endeavor. Be a part of Webster Parish history by becoming a proud supporter of the Webster Parish Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum.All contributions may be mailed to:

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Monday, October 9th, Bill Kalpakis will tell the story
of his parents and the legacy they left in Minden.This will be the 59th oral history program
for the Dorcheat Museum and the 66th museum event for Dorcheat Museum.

Bill Kalpakis stated, “Frank Arthur “Pete” Kalpakis immigrated
to the United States through Canada around 1912-13.His family lived in a Greek community on the
western shore of what is now the country of Turkey. He arrived in Minden about 1920-21.He married my Mother, who had emigrated from
Greece in 1920, in December 1925.They
had five children.”

“Pete” Kalpakis would establish several cafes and resturants in
Minden, his most popular two being the HI-Way Café and the Bus Station
Café.The Hi-Way Cafe was located on
Hwy. 80 across the railroad tracks from the train depot.Kalpakis fed many WWII GIs passing through
Minden on their way to training camps.After he sold the Hi-Way Café around 1949, be bought the Trailways Café
across from the present Webster Parish courthouse.He ran that until his death in 1959.Kalpakis was known for this famous
“hamburgers” and chicken salad sandwiches.Bill commented, “He taught me how to make a “mean” hamburger.”

“Pete” Kalpakis had very little formal education, but was
determined to see that his children got the best education possible.Four children went to college, two graduated
with masters degrees and one with a professional degree.This story will be about hard work and
determination of a family that came to Minden with very little but made a
lasting impression on many.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some
of our local history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning center
at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve
seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley
Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast.
You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's
rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116
Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.
- 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is
free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Monday, September 11th, 2017, the Dorcheat Historical Museum will be hosting
its 9th fundraising event since the 2008 opening of the parish museum. Last
year the fundraiser was a huge success, and raised over $30,000.Many locals attended that know how important
the preservation of our history is to Webster Parish.

Louise Baird Snook, Dorcheat Museum President complimented the following
members; Becky Marvin, Janice Mourad, Cora Lou Robinson, Kay Elzen, Janet
LaBruyere, Ann Harlan, Charlotte Martin, Dianne McGuire, Jo McCullough,
Charlotte Jones, Mary Ann Hamilton, Lucy Adkins, and Rachel Miller.All these ladies are museum board members and
the female driving force behind the gala as well as the museum. Not to be
forgotten, for all their hard word to make everything run smoothly and the man
power behind the museum are fellow board members; Marcel Vandenoord, Richard
Campbell, John Agan, Dr. Roy Phillips, and Ben Baldwin.These event organizers report that the
2017 fundraiser promises to be as exceptional as the past museum events, with
the "Support Local History" theme set for this year.

Guest will be thrilled with the variety of
silent auction items and the great variety of wonderful cuisine. "We are
so fortunate to have the support of so many people from far and wide. We are
pleased with our progress and we know we couldn't do any of it without so many
generous friends and supporters of the museum." stated museum director; Schelley
Brown Francis.

Folk artist, Cora Lou Robinson, is in the process of painting yet another new
original painting for this event. Robinson's paintings have been a highlight at
the past auctions bringing in thousands of dollars each year for the
museum. Everyone is looking forward to seeing her new 2017 piece. This year
the painting was to highlight the “Webster Parish Fair”, after much thought
Cora Lou switched to "4th of July at Turner’s pond". “After Memorial
Day I was so moved by the patriotic things I was seeing that I wanted to paint
what Minden was doing..... to honor those service people that gave the ultimate sacrifice,
stated Mrs. Robinson.For those that know
Mrs. Robinson and her work “God and Country, Family and Friends” are always her
number one themes.Other artists have
also contacted museum board members about donating original works; and museum
members are thrilled with the response to help.

Museum board members commented, “We can’t
have a successful event or a successful museum without the help from so many
local businesses and individuals.”If
you would like to attend or donate a service or item for the 2017 Gala event
contact Schelley Francis at the Dorcheat Museum318-377-3002 or visit at 116 Pearl Street.Cost to attend is $25 per person.Please mail in response by September 1st,
2017.We will be taking items for
auction until Tuesday, September 5th.

Museum
director Schelley Francis and museum archivist Mrs. Eddie Hammontree had the
following comments to share, “The museum has had hundreds of visitors this past
year from all over the country and overseas as well. The Dorcheat Historical Museum
is a showplace for our area and especially our school children. The museum has even been a place for other
museum officials to gather advice and knowledge for their own museums.Genealogy research has been a big part of
what we have assisted with this year.

We have realized over the past few years
that we needed to take a conservative stance on our spending to insure that the
Dorcheat Museum will continue for many, many years into the future.It took many years of hard work and
perseverance to get to where we are today, we will never jeopardize that
accomplishment.Holding on to what we
have built up since 2007 is the most important thing. We have had many people
to be thankful for in this process.

A museum is a living thing.There will always be new and better ways to
improve what we have now.There will
always be new items and history to unveil.Every day more and more people are finding out about us.

We still have many dreams for the
future.We are confident that our
expansion project is something that will take place one day. Money was
raised to purchase the building in 2013. A new roof and front were completed,
as well as some items on the inside of this newest building.We will treat this project as we did our
original building project.“We pay as we
go” has always been our motto.Plans for
any renovations and upgrading of this building will take place as money is specifically
raised for this long-term project.

When the Media/Theater room opened several years ago, it gave the museum an
extra advantage of being able to offer the facility to others. We can now rent
this part of the museum out for meetings, reunions and parties, plus we have
the added benefit of the theater system for Power Point or video
presentations."

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Monday, May 8th, Charlotte Martin along with R.O.
Machen will tell the rich history of the Martin Family of the Evergreen Community.These two will be the 58th oral history
program for the Dorcheat Museum and the 64th museum event for Dorcheat Museum.

Charlotte will be telling the Martin history from her late
husband’s perspective.Arthur Dowd
Martin became a part of the Martin family at 5 weeks old when he was adopted by
Clara and Arthur Martin.He was born in
Shreveport and graduated from Evergreen High School in 1953.Charlotte Smith Martin was born in Minden and
graduated from Minden High School.She
became a Martin in 1956.Most of their
married life they lived in the Evergreen Community at A.D.’s old home
place.They raised three sons, Art,
David, and Carlos who live and work in the Minden area.They have 2 granddaughters, 6 grandsons, 2
great granddaughters and 2 great grandsons.Charlotte enjoy researching and learning about family history.

R.O. Machen R. O. Machen, Jr. was born in 1942 in
Springhill, Louisiana.R.O. moved to Minden when he was in the 5th grade.His father R.O. Machen Sr. became assistant
superintendent of Webster schools that year which prompted the move.A 1960 graduate from Minden High School and
later graduating from Louisiana Tech in 1964 with a BS degree in Accounting.
His banking career began immediately after graduation when he went to
work for Louisiana Bank in 1964 and Peoples Bank in 1967. After 47
years in the Banking business he retired in 2010 from Gibsland Bank.

Married in 1979 to Barbara Fountain a
Homer native. The couple has five children, 15 grandchildren and so far 3 great
grandchildren - and looking ahead for many more. Barbara works for the
State of Louisiana in the Child Welfare Division and will retire in 2017.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some
of our local history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning center
at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve
seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley
Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast.
You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's
rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116
Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.
- 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is
free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

“Telling Tales Out Of School Again” with Carleton
Prothro Minden’s Man of the Year 2017

Monday, August 10th, Carleton Prothro will take
center stage once again.Prothro will be
the 57th guest speaker for the Dorcheat Museum and the 63rd museum
event for Dorcheat Museum.This beloved
man known by many as “The Colonel” and now Minden’s 2017 recipient of the Man
of the Year Award, will be speaking on his many comical experiences in the
Webster Parish school system.This is
certain to be an evening you don’t want to miss!He packed the house in 2009 with his first
talk!

Prothro is a graduate of
Byrd H.S. and the University
of Arkansas.He was married to Lois Price in 1957, and the
couple has two sons: Carleton who lives in Danbury, Ct.
and works for Bunge Corp in White
Plains, New York and
Lance who lives in Las Vegas,
and is a geologist for Dept of Energy.The Prothro’s have two grandchildren: granddaughter, Whitney, whom
recently became employed by St. Jude, and currently lives in Pittsburg, Pa.,
and grandson, Hunt, who is a junior at AuburnUniversity.

Carleton’s career includes his military service of 27
years of active and reserve duty.He
retired in 1981, with the rank of colonel.He is most known for his teaching career from 1958-1995 as teacher,
counselor, assistant principal, and Title 1 coordinator.It is this part of Prothro’s life that will
be the focus of the evening.The many
pranks that have been played, memorable excuses from class, and tales of caught
skippers will be told by one of Minden’s
most beloved educators.Always a smile
on his face and a joke on his lips is what most people think of, when they
think of this Minden
icon.His humor is sometimes
questionable, but always brings a laugh to anyone within hearing distance.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some
of our local history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning center
at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve
seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley
Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast.
You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's
rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116
Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.
- 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is
free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Come march down Memory Lane with Neil Baker at the
Dorcheat Museum, Monday March 13, 2017.

Neil was born in 1937 in Minden, Louisiana to
Willis and Marie Baker.Neil and his
brother Lloyd grew up in the 1940s and 50s era.To some this era holds a special meaning with many great stories.Most of his 1956 Minden classmates remember
Neil as a drummer at MHS and later on as a member of the teen band the
Kats.After high school Neil attended LA
Tech, Kilgore J.C. and Stephen F. Austin State University.It was while he was attending LA Tech that a
new band, the Tunes, was formed. This band would also be made up of some Minden
classmates.The Tunes had much success
and kept busy playing for local functions and college events for several
years.

It was at the Stephen F. Austin Campus in
Nacogdoches, Texas that Neil would meet his future wife Ruth Grounds.The couple married in 1962, made their home
in Irving, Texas and raised two children. Ruth was a school teacher in
Irving before her retirement. Neil retired from General Electric Company in 1994
after 28 years of service.

Now is your chance to hear some great stories of a
simpler time in Minden.The 62nd “Night at the Museum” will take
place Monday, March 13, 2017.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some
of our local history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning center
at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve
seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley
Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast.
You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's
rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116
Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.
- 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is
free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Dorcheat
Museum releases three new books that remind us of the fascinating history of
Minden and Webster Parish.“If These
Stones Could Talk” parts one and two available for $25 each.“If These Trees Could Talk,” the history of a
few of Minden’s trees available for $10 each.Can be picked up at the museum located at 116 Pearl Street in
Minden. Or add $5 for shipping. Get all three books and save $5 in shipping.

﻿

Don't miss getting these books.... Save $5 shipping when you order all 3.

Museum
Director Schelley Francis commented, “These projects like so many others have
been on my mind for years, especially since I began my job as director of the
Dorcheat Historical Association Museum in 2007.I became involved with the Minden Cemetery Association in 2003. In 2004
Earlene Mendenhall Lyle and Ann Mays Harlan surveyed and compiled a book “The
Minden Cemetery”…. this book alone has served as a wealth of knowledge and
valuable information for so many.

My
friend and Webster Parish Historian, Mr. John Agan has made history real for so
many of my projects.It’s been said about
John, “We didn’t have much history until John told us we did!”That statement holds true and many of my
projects could never have been done without John Agan’s help and his love of
history.

The
history of Minden’s trees is something I have needed to do for a while.With the recent questions about the Arizona
Ash tree, the time was now.With some
research and digging into our archives, I was able to piece together this small
book.I hope that people will enjoy
learning some important history about some of our city landmarks.

This
series of cemetery books began for John and myself in March 2015. The questions
began, the day I went to the Old Minden Cemetery, many years ago searching for
the people that had built the home I had purchased on East and West
Street.Finding the graves of the Bakers
and Miss Susanella Schoenbrodtopened up the beginning of a desire to find out more
about all the people that were buried in this hallowed ground.

In
2005 the very first Ghost Walk at the Minden Cemetery took place and continued
every November until 2011.Who knows one
day I may pick it up again… but for now these books and the ones to follow are
what is important.Ghost Walk more than
anything opened my eyes to all the amazing people that were buried here and the
stories that needed to be told.It also
opened up my eyes to the need to donate time and money to the Minden
Cemetery.These books will preserve
those stories and maybe one day be a guide to future generations when they need
to tell the stories of Minden’s earliest citizens.

Little did I know in 2005… that one
day preserving history would be part of my job description!“It’s been said about me after all these
years “That if it is old, buried, paint peeling off of it, or will not start
that I must have something to do with it!”I guess that is correct because it all goes together.The people, the homes, the cemetery…are all
connected and full of history.That is
one thing I learned very fast, history just keeps you going and going.You keep digging deeper and deeper until you
can link it all together.That is what
we hope these books do for those that read them….closes some links and finds
some pieces of the many puzzles that are part of our lives.

Preserving
history is a labor of love, in my heart I know that the time is now to get as
much recorded.Every day we lose a
member of past generations along with valuable information.I hope you enjoy these books as much as John
and I have enjoyed collecting and piecing it all together in book form.

This
sentiment is exactly the way I feel about the cemetery.“I have
never been lonely in a cemetery.They
are perfect places to observe the slow changing of the seasons, and to absorb
human history …the tragedies and the anguishes, the violences and always the
guilts and sorrows of vanished people.In a pretematural quiet, one can almost hear the palatable, long-ago
voices.” Southern Author Mr. Willie Morris. I often sit in my car during lunch hour…I
am among friends when I am there.I
think the people buried here welcome me and are glad that a few people care.”

Friday, October 28, 2016

Now’s the time to get
your 501c3 charitable giving gifts in for 2016 tax returns

To the Wonderful Supporters of the DorcheatMuseum

Your Webster Parish Museum has now been open since 2008; look
at how much work has been done and history been preserved in that time frame!What once was a dream in the 1970s is a
reality today.People are coming from
all over the country and some foreign countries to visit. Our local citizens
are bringing groups in –they want their guests to see what we have here in
Minden.Teachers and local organizations
are bringing children in for history tours. Our “Nights for the Museum” have become
regular events with large attendance numbers.In 2007 we began our mission to tell people why we needed a museum.Our “Nights for the Museum” speaker series
was the perfect way to do that.Today we
have hosted sixty Monday evening events since 2007! Many, people have done a great job putting it all
together.Our board works tirelessly behind
the scenes.

LET US KEEP WHAT WE HAVE GOING!

First:There are many
ways you can help, but it is important that we have adequate funds to continue
our operations and grow in the direction we have envisioned. We have our
Operating Fund that pays for salaries, maintenance, utilities, insurance, etc. at
our present 116 Pearl Street facility. Our budget for 2017 is $60,000 a
year.A portion of our money comes from public
bodies, and an occasional grant or two, but the majority of our money comes
from individual donations, annual gala event and our various fundraiser
projects.With major budget cuts on the
horizon for 2017 from some of our past sources, we need to increase our
individual donations and our gala to make ends meet and to continue the work
being done. We hope that you see fit to
support us in the coming year and beyond.

Second:We have a
Building Renovation Fund for our new building. It is our hope to continue working
on the adjoining building we purchased in 2013 as funding allows.So far we have about $215,000 invested in our
new addition.We need another $100,000 plus
to pay for the remodeling that will be required to make it suitable for use.One day, the new building will give us much more
exhibit, storage, and office space.

Third:We hope that
you might consider us as a beneficiary in your will. The museum plans to be
here. Your gift can provide education and pleasure for generations to come.

Leave a lasting legacy for the future.Having served on the Minden Cemetery Board we
realize how important this part of our mission is for long-term success.

Friday, October 21, 2016

The Machen family has been a part of Webster parish for nearly one hundred years with early roots in the Northern end of the parish. R. O. Machen, Jr. was born 5-7-1942 in Springhill, Louisiana. R.O. moved to Minden when he was in the 5th grade. His father R.O. Machen Sr. became assistant superintendent of Webster schools that year which prompted the move. A 1960 graduate from Minden High School and later graduating from Louisiana Tech in 1964 with a BS degree in Accounting. His banking career began immediately after graduation when he went to work for Louisiana Bank in 1964 and Peoples Bank in 1967. After 47 years in the Banking business he retired in 2010 from Gibsland Bank.

Married in 1979 to Barbara Fountain a Homer native. The couple has five children, 15 grandchildren and so far 3 great grandchildren - and looking ahead for many more. Barbara works for the State of Louisiana in the Child Welfare Division and will retire in 2017. Machen stated, “Retirement life has been a big change for me because I have become fond of being by myself in Evergreen the last 6 years.” We are sure thatR.O.’s love for his Evergreen community and his hobbies will keep him busy.

Doors Open At 5:30

Now is your chance to hear and see a great presentation. The 61st “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday February 13th, 2017.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La. Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at 318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by appointment.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

If you missed it in April, now is your chance to hear and see a great
presentation.The 60th “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday October
10th, 2016.Due to extremely
heavy rains in April, this event will be an encore presentation featuring Timmie
McEachern and Ethan Spillers.

A nibble and a bite of history, fishing stories, and maybe a few tall
tales is how to describe what you will be experiencing on this night.This is your chance to hear a poet,
songwriter, photographer, fisherman extraordinaire, and a heck of BBQ man.McEachern will also be signing his new book
“Rhymes without Reason” a collection of poems inspired by God, nature and the South!McEachern and Spiller will take you back over
200 years of their family history.

“Not very long ago, I heard someone say; “Shake a tree in Minden and
you're probably going to see a McEachern fall out of it!”Many of the traditions of our Scottish ancestors
still hold true today.The roots of our
goodly heritage still run deep and it is clearly evident that we are
"clannish" and that can be seen by the large number of McEachern's,
living in Minden and in the northern part of Webster Parish where our ancestors
settled over 150 years ago..." Hard working, dependable and upright”,
that’s how I'd describe my McEachern family, one that I’m proud to be a part
of.” says, lifelong Minden resident, Timmie McEachern.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local history.
The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat
Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La. Museum doors
will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating. Program
begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks
welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at
318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com
to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on
Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat
Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum
hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for
lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special
tours and rental by appointment.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Monday, September 12th, 2016, the Dorcheat Historical Museum will be hosting
its 8th fundraising event since the 2008 opening of the parish museum. Last
year the fundraiser was a huge success, and raised over $30,000 and was
attended by over 150 guests.

Click on image to enlarge and right click to save or print

Becky Marvin, Janice Mourad, Cora Lou Robinson, Louise Snook, and Kay Elzen,
Janet LaBruyere, Ann Harlan, Charlotte Martin, Dianne McGuire, Jo McCullough,
Charlotte Jones and Mary Ann Hamilton are all board members and the female driving
force behind the gala. Not to be forgotten, for all their hard word to
make everything run smoothly are fellow board members; Marcel Vandenoord,
Richard Campbell, John Agan, Dr. Roy Phillips, Carleton Prothro, and Ben Baldwin.These event organizers report that the
2016 fundraiser promises to be as exceptional as the past museum events, with
the "History In The Making" theme set for this year.

Guest will be thrilled with the variety of
silent auction items and the great variety of wonderful cuisine. "We are
so fortunate to have the support of so many people from far and wide. We are
pleased with our progress and we know we couldn't do any of it without so many
generous friends and supporters of the museum." stated museum director;
Schelley Brown Francis.

Folk artist, Cora Lou Robinson, is in the process of painting yet another new
original painting for this event. Robinson's paintings have been a highlight at
the past auctions bringing in thousands of dollars each year for the
museum. Everyone is looking forward to seeing her new 2016 piece. This year the
painting will highlight what a wonderful place Minden is.Other artists have also contacted museum
board members about donating original works; and museum members are thrilled
with the response to help.

Museum board members commented, “We can’t
have a successful event or a successful museum without the help from so many
local businesses and individuals.”If
you would like to attend or donate a service or item for the 2016 Gala event
contact Schelley Francis at the Dorcheat Museum318-377-3002 or visit at 116 Pearl Street.Cost to attend is $25 per person.Please mail in response by September 1st,
2016.

Click on image to enlarge and right click to save or print

Museum
director Schelley Francis had the following comments to share, “The museum has
had hundreds of visitors this past year from all over the country and overseas
as well. The Dorcheat Historical Museum is a showplace for our area and has
received quite a bit of notice from the Shreveport area on local TV stations,
magazines and newspapers. People are seeing our museum commercials on TV, large
billboards and ads in area publications.The museum has even been a place for other museum officials to gather
advice and knowledge for their own museums.Genealogy research has been a big part of what we have assisted with
this year.

We have realized over the past few years
that we needed to take a conservative stance on our spending to insure that the
Dorcheat Museum will continue for many, many years into the future.It took many years of hard work and perseverance
to get to where we are today, we will never jeopardize that
accomplishment.Holding on to what we
have built up since 2007 is the most important thing. We have had many people
to be thankful for in this process.

A museum is a living thing.There will always be new and better ways to
improve what we have now.There will
always be new items and history to unveil.Every day more and more people are finding out about us.

We still have many dreams for the
future.We are confident that our
expansion project is something that will take place one day. Money was
raised to purchase the building in 2013. A new roof and front were completed,
as well as some items on the inside of this newest building.We will treat this project as we did our
original building project.“We pay as we
go” has always been our motto.Plans for
any renovations and upgrading of this building will take place as money is specifically
raised for this long-term project.

When the Media/Theater room opened several years ago, it gave the museum an extra
advantage of being able to offer the facility to others. We can now rent this
part of the museum out for meetings, reunions and parties, plus we have the
added benefit of the theater system for Power Point or video
presentations."

Thursday, March 24, 2016

May 9th, 2016, don’t miss this Dorcheat
Historical Museum event for 2016!It’s
our last museum event before our summer break from speakers.Doors Open at 5:30.

Red
Turner has been called a “Salty Saint.” He was that and so much more. He
explored Minden as a child, played football for the Crimson Tide, fought in
WWII as a Marine, returned home and bought Turner Lumber Company, married and
reared a family, and built some of the most beautiful homes in Minden. Red
lived in the gentle, relaxed years of Minden. If you were privileged to have
lived here during those years, you will enjoy “reliving” the memories.If you weren’t, you will enjoy learning about
Minden in the “olden days.” Join us at the Dorcheat Museum for the 59th “Night at the Museum” Monday May 9th,
2016.Hear Red’s stories of
Minden from the 1920’s thru the 1970’s, as related by his daughter, Claire
Turner Fussell.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local
history. The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the
Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La.
Museum doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve
seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts
and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at
318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com
to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on
Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat
Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum
hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for
lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special
tours and rental by appointment.

The 58th “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday April
11th, 2016.This event will
feature Timmie McEachern. A nibble and a bite of history,
fishing stories, and maybe a few tall tales is how to describe what you will be
experiencing on this night.This is your
chance to hear a poet, songwriter, photographer, fisherman extraordinaire, and
a heck of BBQ man.McEachern will also
be signing his new book “Rhymes without Reason” a collection of poems inspired
by God, nature and the South!

﻿﻿

“Not very long ago, I heard someone say; " Shake a tree in Minden
and you're probably going to see a McEachern fall out of it!” Many of the traditions of our Scottish
ancestors still hold true today.The
roots of our goodly heritage still run deep and it is clearly evident that we
are "clannish" and that can be seen by the large number of
McEachern's, living in Minden and in the northern part of Webster Parish where
our ancestors settled over 150 years ago..." Hard working, dependable and
upright”, that’s how I'd describe my McEachern family, one that I’m proud to be
a part of.” says, lifelong Minden resident, Timmie McEachern.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local history.
The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the Dorcheat
Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden, La. Museum doors
will open at 5:30 p.m., with first-come, first-serve seating. Program
begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck desserts and snacks
welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at
318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com
to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on
Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the Dorcheat
Historical Association Museum located at 116 Pearl Street in Minden. Museum
hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for
lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The museum admission is free. Also open for special
tours and rental by appointment.

The 57th “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday March
14th, 2016.This event will
feature several of our long time Webster Parish residents and family members.The talk will be centered on the Roberts and
the Madden families and the impact they had in the Webster parish area.

The Roberts and Madden families came to live in Minden in
the late 1930s and mid-1940s.The Minden
Lumber Yard was purchased by Willard Roberts in 1938.It later became Roberts-Brown, then Roberts
Company.J.G. Madden opened Madden
Supply in the early 50s evolving into J.G. Madden, Contractor and later, Madden
Contracting Company.

Today the last Roberts living in Minden is Lyda Roberts
Madden.Through the marriage of Lyda and
James Madden there are today fifteen descendants living in Minden.Eight of these are active members of the
family corporation.

Don't miss your chance to hear about some of our local history.
The museum events will be held in the Media/Learning room at the DorcheatHistoricalAssociationMuseum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will
open at 5:30 p.m., with
first-come, first-serve seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at
318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com
to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on
Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the DorcheatHistoricalAssociationMuseum located at 116 Pearl Street in
Minden. Museum
hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10
a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The
museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by
appointment.

The 56th “Night at the Museum” will take place Monday February
8th, 2016.This event will
feature several of our long time Webster Parish residents and family members.The talk will be centered on the Rowland &
Simolke families and the impact they had in the Webster parish area.

Almost 100 years ago, in 1917, Bunion Franklin Rowland
brought a Greek Revival-styled dogtrot house, cotton gin, and 220 acres of farm
land in Heflin, Louisiana for $2,800 cash.Rowland purchased the property from Ambros Walker.After leaving the logging industry in Kelly,
Louisiana, B.F. Rowland with his wife, Ola Hood Rowland from Dubach, and five
children developed one of the largest self-sufficient farms in Webster Parish.

The farm would later include a second large cotton gin, a
saw mill, general store, blacksmith shop, numerous barns and farm animals:
hogs, chickens, cows and mules.Besides
cotton, their harvest included corn, wheat, oats, soybeans, millet and many
vegetables.

John Chris Simolke and his wife Mary Bauer Simolke moved to
Webster Parish in the 1920’s with seven of their children to work at the “Dixie
Nursery” located at the “Sunnyside Plantation” now referred to as the Shadows
Estate in Dubberly, Louisiana.

Today, 3rd and 4th generation
Rowlands and the George Simolke family members maintain the historical
buildings, farming of the over 200 acres of hay pastures and cattle on their
Heflin, Louisiana historical old farm.

Don't miss your
chance to hear about some of our local history. The museum events will be held
in the Media/Learning room at the DorcheatHistoricalAssociationMuseum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden,
La. Museum doors will
open at 5:30 p.m., with
first-come, first-serve seating. Program begins at 6:00 p.m., admission is free with potluck
desserts and snacks welcome.

For more information contact Schelley Brown Francis at
318-377-3002 or visit www.museuminminden.blogspot.com
to sign up for the museum email blast. You can also find the museum on
Facebook. To learn more about Webster Parish's rich history visit the DorcheatHistoricalAssociationMuseum located at 116 Pearl Street in
Minden. Museum
hours; closed on Monday, Tuesday-Friday 10
a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed from 1-2 for lunch), Saturday CLOSED. The
museum admission is free. Also open for special tours and rental by
appointment.

The Fourth Museum Cookbook Is Here

This book filled with stories of days gone by!

The Back Cover

A Message From Cora Lou Robinson

Recipes and History

Our FourthCookbook Is HERE!AcknowledgmentsAs spokesperson for the museum, I would like to thank thecontributors to this cookbook for the wonderful recipes and stories. This bookis dedicated to those that remember fondly "The good ole days of shoppingand eating along the Main Streets of small town America and the local entrepreneursthat operated these establishments." When you think of your youth, youthink of soda fountains, home delivered groceries and the local families thatworked or owned these small stores and restaurants. With those memories weremember meals shared at the local Drive-In or Sunday dinners. We carry theseprecious memories with us, even when our small town life seems to disappear andmany of those store fronts are torn down, faded and worn with time.I would like to recognize Brian Carlisle for his design workalong with John Agan for his historic knowledge, folk artist Cora Lou Robinsonfor the cover art, and the Wise Family for the Wise Family recipes. Theirtalents made this more than a cookbook. I especially thank the advertisers formaking this book possible!We have saved a part of history with these memories. Many willnever know about the old time country stores that we remember as children. Weare the lucky ones we can be brought back to these places in our minds withjust a simple smell in the air, a faded sign on the side of an old building ora favorite recipe.The proceeds of this book will be used to help us expand ourmuseum by purchasing and renovating the building next door! We thank you foryour support in this effort. For information call 318-377-3002. Donations maybe mailed to P.O. Box 1094, Minden, Louisiana 71058. Please visit us at 116 Pearl Street, Minden, Louisiana orwww.musueminminden.blogspot.com we are also on Facebook.Sincerely,Schelley Brown FrancisDirector of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Inc.

GIVE A GREAT GIFT AND HELP THE MUSEUM TOO! The New Cookbook Is Here!

Act Fast Because They Will Not Last Long! So Come Get Your Copies Soon!

$20 Per Book Plus $5 Shipping and Handling Make Checks Payable To: The Dorcheat Museum P.O. Box 1094 Minden, LA 71058 or come by the museum and pick your copies up today for $20 each!

Hunter's Playhouse

Cora Lou Brown Robinson Painting

Limited Edition Cora Lou Robinson

The Dorcheat Museum will be offering a limited edition print of an original painting by folk artist Cora Lou Brown Robinson. This print will be an 11 x 14 for $25 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. We will also offer a 20 x 24 canvas reproduction Giclée for $175. Don’t miss your opportunity to have a piece of 1950’s memories of Minden in your home.Mail your payment to Dorcheat Museum P.O. Box 1094 Minden, La. 71058. For more information call Schelley Brown at 318-423-0192.Cora Lou Brown Robinson and Hunter’s PlayhouseKnown to most simply as “Cora Lou", this Minden native and resident is recognized for not only her talents as a professional folk artist but also as a teacher, wife, mother, grandmother and true product of a deep -rooted Minden family. Born in 1935 to Ed and Celeste Brown, Cora Lou has two siblings--one brother, Ed Brown and one sister, Mary Celeste Powers. Cora Lou is married to Ronald Robinson. They have three children and seven grandchildren.Her childhood was what she calls “picture perfect.". She played from morning ’til night with the neighborhood children. Their lives followed a pattern. During the week they went to school, and each Saturday morning they listened to “Let’s Pretend” on the radio and that afternoon would walk to the “picture show” and then walk safely home. Each Sunday they went to Sunday school and then to church. She remembers the thrill of chasing lightning bugs at dusk while all the neighborhood parents sat outside and visited on their front porch. It was a simpler time in Minden, Louisiana, and for many of the people that grew up here.Her teenage years were wonderful in part due to the generosity of the Hunter family. The Hunter family has owned the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Minden since 1901. Back in the 1940s the Hunters became the recreation hub for all of Minden and the surrounding area. Everyone swam in their pool, played in their playground, danced in their playhouse, and watched countless ballgames in their park. No other town has ever seen the likes of the Hunter family in Cora Lou’s eyes. The 1940s, 50s and early 60s were a special time in Minden, Louisiana because of the generosity of Gladys and Larry Hunter. Cora Lou’s love of the special times and memories of the 1950s and Hunter’s Playhouse is depicted in one of her first paintings of a dance at the Playhouse.Cora Lou Brown Robinson says her paintings are about “God and Country, Family, and Friends.” Many of her ideas for her paintings come from her childhood and all come from her heart. Her paintings have been featured all across the United States and no one appreciates her more than her hometown and what she does for them by creating their memories on canvas.The following is taken from the “Memories of Hunter’s” book

Memories are precious, yet hard to expressA golden moment, suspended in a capsule waiting to come again---but never willA safe haven in the storm of todayA part of time so dear and so wondrous--one would have to have lived it to fully understand itA slice of life we wanted our children to experience--but they did notA time almost pure if compared to today’s lifestylesSomething we can almost hold in our hands, yet not graspA man and a woman so totally dedicated to young people that they made them their lifeOur own youth and innocence ---only a yesterday away------Cora Lou RobinsonThis project to benefit the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum is sponsored by Ben and Linda Hunter, Cora Lou Robinson, Easley’s Fine Arts, Dr. and Mrs. Edward Brown, Gibsland Bank and Trust, Ann Mays Harlan, Steve G. Kirkikis, M.D., Earlene Mendenhall Lyle, Richard Campbell D.D.S. (Dr. Feelgood), A. Loye & Peggy W. Jone